The Karate Path

A martial arts dedication performed by Japanese karate practitioner Kiyou Shimizu at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto.

This former world champion has retired from competitive karate, and is finding new ways to express her mastery of the discipline.

Karate kata champion Kiyou Shimizu in a white gi, posing in a strong stance on the wooden platform at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto.

Watching this dedication reminded me of some words of the kabuke actor Nakamura Kanzaburo XVIII:

“You break the mold because there is a mold, and if there is no mold, you have no form."1

The karate champion Kiyou Shimizu in a karate gi is standing in a traditional dojo, walking towards a shrine, with a subtitle about performing kata as an athlete. The karate champion Kiyou Shimizu is speaking about her experience with karate, with the Kyoto cityscape blurred in the background.

I’m the author of Shu Ha Ri: The Japanese Way of Learning, for Artists and Fighters. It’s a short and accessible introduction to the concept, available now.
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#Shuhari #martialarts #karate #kyoto #kiyomizudera

  1. Source: Japanese Wikipedia entry for Shu Ha Ri. ↩︎